Legislation Introduced to Remove Private Military Contractors From Wars

[ensho]

http://www.progressinaction.com/afghanistan/legislation-introduced-to-remove-private-military-contractors-from-wars/


The use of private contractors has surged under the Obama administration. Private military contractors now account for between 22% and 30% of the total U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Military contractors are often paid 4 to 5 times what the U.S. pays its own military, which dramatically increases the cost of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Removing military contractors from the wars would save needed monetary resources. The changes would also shift responsibility for the wars back to the military and ensure greater oversight over military operations.

U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson will introduce legislation that would de-fund private contractors who engage in illegal or unethical behavior like Blackwater. Contractors are already “barred by DOD regulations from taking part in ‘offensive’ operations,” but regularly take part in offensive operations despite the ban. Contractors like Blackwater have been involved in several bloody acts of violence against civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. The use of private contractors has tarnished the image of the U.S. abroad and put our security goals in Iraq and Afghanistan at risk.

Also introduced by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) was the Stop Outsourcing Security Act. The legislation would take inherently governmental functions away from private contractors and put them back into the hands of the military. It is believed by the lawmakers that carrying weapons on behalf of the U.S. government should be restricted to the U.S. military.
------------------


GOOD!

[ensho]

1. I thought DUers would be happy about this news

I sure am.

do you think it will pass?

[notadmblnd]

2. I don't think it has a chance in hell of passing

to take the contractors out means to re-instate the draft and the American public won't tolerate that; else it would have been done already.

[That Is Quite Enough]

4. Good point.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. No, it doesn't mean re-instating the draft. What it means is

DON'T GET INTO ANY FUCKING UNJUSTIFIED WARS.

If we are attacked by a foreign enemy, people WILL enlist. We go in, fight the war, and get out.

None of this 'forever war' crap.

We had PLENTY of enlistments and plenty of manpower to deal with Afghanistan - you know, the place the 9/11 attacks originated from. When we chose to go to war against a country that has NEVER attacked us, THAT is where we needed the mercenaries.

[notadmblnd]

7. I agree with you. I just don't think it will happen.

[Heywood J]

9. How many troops are in Europe, Japan, and S. Korea?

How many posted to various bases at home? Compare that to the number of contractors.

[emsimon33]

3. It's about time

If passed, this bill would curtail America's aggressive stance.

[Thothmes]

11. Didnt in Vietnam. Used very few contractors

President Johnson just drafted the hundreds of thousands of men that he need to fight his war.

[kentuck]

5. All those trained assassins in our midst...

spell nothing but trouble.

[Robb]

8. Armed or unarmed? Well-muddied to pander, there.

Because Bernie's conflating two issues.

If we're concerned with armed private contractors, that's one thing. Blackwater, for instance. But the armed ones do NOT represent 22-30% of U.S. Forces.

[invictus]

10. Good.